Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 345-348.

WILLIAM DUNWIDDIE.

Few of the men who joined the army during the Civil war and remained out any length of time returned very much improved financially. The precarious existence of a soldier, with the chance staring him in the face of having even that existence cut short at any moment, is not calculated to develop principles of either prudence or economy. Who that is daily facing death in various forms cares to lay away money, that perchance, strangers may have the pleasure of spending? Hence the soldier spent while he had it to spend and was just as happy when "broke" as when he had abundance. A few there were, however, who held to a firm hope of being able to live another day and at another time when the devastation of war would no longer ravage the land. They practiced the virtues of peace amidst the dissolution of war, and while most of their comrades returned poor indeed, they had oftentimes more than enough to supply immediate necessities. William Dunwiddie, of Nottingham township, Wells county, Indiana, the subject of this sketch, was such a soldier. He spent much as the others did, but he managed to save enough to enable him to purchase forty acres of land on his return from the front.

William Dunwiddie was born in Warren county, Ohio, December 29, 1842. His paternal grandparents were John and Ruth (Betts) Dunwiddie, the former born in Delaware in 1781 and the latter in New Jersey in 1785. His father was Peter Dunwiddie, a native of Greene county, Ohio, born April 5, 1816. His wife, the mother of the subject, was Eunice Haines, a native of Warren county, born September 20, 1817. They were married September 1, 1836, and continued to reside in the county of their nativity until 1855, when they moved with their family to Wells county, Indiana. He was a minister of the gospel, but was much as those to whom he administered spiritual and religious consolation, having little more than enough to provide material sustenance for themselves. Thus he was obliged to occupy his time during the week on the farm preaching at least twice each Sunday. To them eleven children were born, viz: John H., born September 12, 1837, died May 26, 1843; Hannah G., born August 1, 1839, deceased; Brook C., born August 24, 1841, died November 5, 1872; William, the subject, who will hereafter be referred to more particularly; Matilda, born October 25, 1844, deceased; John, born April 25, 1846, deceased; Jacob, born September 23, 1847, deceased; Harrison B., born June 16, 1849, a resident of Reiffsburg; Mary E., born August 5, 1853, deceased; David, born March 25, 1855, died in infancy; Susan B., born November 23, 1857, wife of Sylvester Pontius; Brooks C. served four years during the war in Company E, Fortieth Indiana Regiment; John served two years in the same company and regiment, and William was out three years, three months and five days during the same eventful period. John Dunwiddie, their paternal grandfather, served in the United States army during the war of 1812. The parents of these children are both dead.

William Dunwiddie received his education partly in Warren county, Ohio, and partly in Benton county, Indiana, whither he had gone and where he resided a number of years previous to the Civil war. When but nineteen years of age, in the early part of the war, in Oxford, Benton county, Indiana, he enlisted in Company C, Ninety-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Few regiments participated in more of the important battles of the war than did the Ninety-ninth Indiana. With his regiment, the subject followed the flag in the following engagements: Vicksburg, Jackson, Mississippi, Mission Ridge, the Knoxville campaign, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, July 22 and 28, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, Fort McAllister, Savannah, Columbia, Goldsboro and Raleigh. On the march to the sea William Dunwiddie was one of those detailed to do the foraging for the other members of the company. Food had to be gotten and it was at times so difficult to provide that his ingenuity was often taxed to the utmost to find the supply of live stock, grain and provisions which the owners had hidden away. He was always so successful that his admiring comrades gave him a number of pet names which were neither euphonious nor pretty and which it is unnecessary to mention here. During the entire term of his service he was not off duty more than three weeks and that was on account of sickness. At the close of the war the regiment went to Washington City, where they took part in the grand review and where they were mustered out. The old flag they bore through many a battle was so torn and rent by shot and shell and soiled by the blood of its brave defenders that a new one was procurred in Washington on which was emblazoned a list of the battles in which the regiment took part, but when brought out it elicited no enthusiasm whatever, the boys preferring the old tattered banner they had followed so long and so faithfully. It was brought out amid the cheers of its defenders and it and the regiment formed a very conspicuous portion of that historic parade. During its time of service the regiment traveled thirty-three hundred and ninety-eight miles, which does not include the steps taken by the subject in his foraging expeditions. All this was accomplished on foot except a few hundred miles by rail and transport.

For two years after William Dunwiddie's return from the war he worked for his father, receiving as compensation only his board and clothes With what little he was able to save during the days of his soldiering he bought forty acres of land, the same on which his brother-in-law, Mark Watson, now resides. For a year he worked in a saw-mill in western Indiana, then returned to Wells county and began clearing his land. The last hundred dollars he owed on the place he paid out of his earnings in the saw-mill. September 3, 1868, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Watson, a native of Adams county, Indiana, born February 19, 1846. Her parents were John and Margaret Watson, natives of England and early settlers of Adams county, but both are now deceased. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Watson, viz: Sarah, deceased; Wesley died in the army during the Civil war; Mary J., wife of William Dunwiddie, the subject; Joseph, now a resident of Adams county; Phoebe C., wife of S. W. Skeels, now resides in Michigan; Ruth, wife of William Heaston, of Geneva.

At the time of the marriage, a log cabin and fifteen acres cleared were all the improvements that had been made on the forty acres which Mr. Dunwiddie owned. However, they took up their abode in the log cabin and cultivated and improved the place for one year, when they rented the Josephus Marlin farm in Adams county. They remained there only one year, when they returned to Wells county, bought the west eighty acres of the old homestead, and proceeded to build a house thereon. In the meantime he had sold the first forty acres he had purchased, to his brother-in-law, Mark Watson, who is yet the owner and occupant thereof. On the new tract he had purchased he was obliged to incur an indebtedness of sixteen hundred dollars. At the time it was bought the only improvements there were on the place was fifteen acres cleared. It is now all cleared but thirty acres, well ditched, fenced and provided with lasting and substantial improvements. He has purchased another eighty acres immediately adjoining, which gives him one hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land in one compact body. On this land are six producing oil wells, from which he now realizes about eighteen dollars per month, though there was a time when much more was realized on the output.

To Mr. and Mrs. William Dunwiddie five children have been born, viz: Clara E., born in Adams county, January 24, 1871, wife of Jacob Bierrie; P. W., born in Wells county, September 27,1873, married Hattie Brown, has one son, Harry, and resides in Adams county; Margaret J., born in Wells county July 30, 1876, married Lawrence Watson and they are residents of Nottingham township; Ruth E., born in Wells county, August 8, 1879, resides with her parents; Benjamin H., born in Wells county, January 27, 1882, is at home with his parents. Each have received a good common school education. Clara is a graduate of the Geneva high school and taught a number of terms, until compelled by failing health to cease.

Mr. Dunwiddie has unlimited faith in the American hog. He believes that if properly handled it will pay more debts for its owner than any other animal. He asserts that its capabilities for swelling a bank account are unrivaled and devotes his entire time to farming and stock raising. With Poland China hogs, shorthorn cattle and a general class of sheep, his farm is constantly well stocked. All but two and a half years of his married life have been spent upon his present farm and his present prosperous condition indicates clearly the success he has attained.

The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church, except the husband and father. While having no ill will whatever toward religion, he is not connected with any denomination. He is a member of John P. Porter Post No. 83, G. A. R., of Geneva. In politics he is a Republican, has always been an active worker in the party and is recognized as a man of standing and influence in his locality, being generally a delegate in the conventions of his party. From an exceedingly small beginning he has accomplished far more than many others with better opportunities, which speaks well for the native merit of the man.